Morale
by Peeta Melark
Summary: To lift morale at Camp Half-Blood, the Apollo cabin puts on an annual show. This year, the demigods must perform in "Once on This Island." Leo Valdez, in spite of his stage fright and lack of confidence, is called for an audition. Read to find out. There is no way to describe it without sounding REALLY cliché.
1. Leo

The auditions were the first step. They were held by the Apollo cabin in the amphitheater and by invitation _only_. That's why Leo was so surprised when he got one. He didn't sing around camp—except for maybe the shower—and he never mentioned it. Sure he did those funny voices at the dinner table, but who didn't? So what the heck was he even doing in an audition?

Brains were never Leo's strong suit, so he accepted. When he got there, he saw some of his friends. Relief as well as some embarrassment washed through him. Piper and Annabeth were stretching and dancing, their boyfriends watching lazily. Hazel and Nico were at the piano, the Apollo kids hitting keys and making them repeat the notes. Leo didn't know anything about vocal ranges or singing, but he would have called Hazel a soprano. Nico's voice was also high, but cold. It was missing some of the warmth and love Hazel's had. From what the kid at the piano said, Nico was called a tenor. Leo made his way over to Percy and Jason.

"They called me a baritone," Percy puzzled. Jason grunted.

"Same here." He didn't take his eyes off Piper. "Gods. I hope she doesn't pull something."

"Excuse me!" Piper cried. "I'm perfectly fine without you spotting me."

Jason laughed. So did Percy. "Yeah, but it reminds me that _I_ don't have to do all that. I just show up and sing."

Leo coughed, not really sure what he was supposed to say. Thankfully, Hazel tapped him on the shoulder and pointed him towards the piano. Not a second after he stepped over, the kid—James?—started pounding notes out on the piano. Leo did his best to follow them. After what felt like an eternity, James said, "Tenor," and waved him off. Just as he started to leave, he was called back. "But you've got a bit of baritone, so I will use that!"

"Thanks, man," Leo shrugged. He walked back over to Percy and Jason.

"Where's Piper?" he asked. Jason pointed to where Piper was singing.

_A stranger racing down the beach  
Racing to places I was meant to reach  
My stranger! One day you'll arrive  
Your car will stop and in I'll hop and off we'll  
Drive  
We'll drive!_

Yeesh! That girl had a set of lungs! Leo knew what his mother would have said. _My goodness! What a sound!_ And then she would have laughed, like it was all some big joke and like she was partially commenting on how _much_ sound there was. Piper was _loud_. Leo thought her name was well earned.

After her singing, Piper was tested on dancing. Again, she nailed it. Leo liked that. Piper was his best friend. He wouldn't have wanted to see her mess up.

Nico di Angelo was next. When James and his sister Cassie asked the son of Hades to use some shadows to aid his performance, Leo almost left the room. Nico closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Darkness gathered around him, seeming to put out the very light of the sun.

_I am the road leading to no return  
Secret of life finally his to learn  
I am the car racing toward distant shores  
Now his life is forever mine!  
Forever!_

Yeah. Nico was _definitely_ creepy. As he was singing, power had surged through him. Leo could tell from ten feet away. Even after he had dismissed the shadows, he looked dangerous. His Stygian iron sword was missing, Leo noticed with relief. But something was still off about him. As he moved to sit down, he cast a scathing look at Jason.

"Your turn, Hazel," he said, kissing her cheek. Hazel got up, smiling, and skipped over to the center of the amphitheater. She sang first and then danced, much like Piper had done. The song was different, though. Something about a mother providing her daughter with the Earth… or maybe it was metaphorical or something like that.

Leo leaned over to Jason. "Were we supposed to prepare a song?"

Jason shrugged. "Nah. They just did 'cause they're organized."

"Yeah, but so did di Angelo, and he's not organized."

"Hazel did it for him, I think. Or maybe he knew the song. It sounds like the kind of thing he'd know."

Leo nodded, giggling. "Sure does. Man, he gives me the creeps." He shivered.

Jason agreed in mild tones, going on to say that he didn't think Piper was going to get the part she wanted. He told Leo about the play and about the different parts. Apparently Piper wanted the lead, but Jason thought she was more likely to be the goddess of love. He explained that Nico and Hazel, being siblings, played off of each other really well, and Nico was creepy as all Hades, so he was _obviously_ going to be the god of death. Plus, Hazel was better suited for the dance requirements. Piper had trained her whole life in ballet—mostly thanks to her dad. But Jason didn't want to see her disappointed. She was his girlfriend and he loved her more than life itself.

Finally, it was Leo's turn to sing. He chose to repeat whatever was sung at him. Some of it was about rain, some about girls. For some reason, Leo didn't fell quite comfortable singing about "some girls." He kept glancing at Piper as if he expected her to kill him or something. The kid at the piano thanked him and told him to "kindly go away now." He did. His friends followed him up the stairs. Nico stayed behind with Piper, Percy and Katie Gardner. Apparently they all had to try their luck singing together. Whatever, Leo thought. He didn't really care. He wasn't biting his nails over whether or not he got a part.

There was an announcement at dinner. The cast list would be up the next day, after all the auditions were done. Everyone who got a part should report to the amphitheater by 4:25 pm _sharp_. Gods, Leo hoped he didn't get a part.

**A/N: If you want to hear some of the music from "Once on This Island," look up "Promises/Forever Yours (reprise)." It's really good.**


	2. Leo Again

_Oh no_, Leo thought, looking at the piece of paper on the Apollo cabin wall. _Oh no, no, no! _What had he done wrong? How did he fail? Why, just _why_ did the Apollo cabin think he was fit to play some guy named Daniel? And why did _Hazel_ have to be Ti Moune? It was like the gods were punishing him for kind of having a crush on Frank's girlfriend! Was fate really that much of a slap in the face?

To his left, Leo heard Piper whisper, "Oh gods…" and Jason pat her back. He looked at the list and saw that Piper was the goddess of love, exactly the kind of role she'd been trying to avoid. Even Leo knew that it was basically typecasting.

As Leo was about to leave, he heard a harsh curse in what he assumed was Italian. Nico di Angelo. Leo whipped around to see the son of Hades standing just off his shoulder. His dark eyes were fixed on the list, which had his name next to Papa Ge. Yep. Leo had called it. The demon of death went to Nico di Angelo, the creepiest kid in Camp Half-Blood.

"Congrats, dude," Leo said. Nico coughed.

"Oh I wouldn't say—" He caught Hazel's eye. "Um… thanks."

If Leo hadn't known better, he would have thought di Angelo looked embarrassed. In all the time he'd known—and been freaked out by—Nico, he hadn't been one to look embarrassed. Man, Leo had to remember to keep Hazel around.

"Sorry, sister," he heard Nico mutter. Sister? How old _was_ he? Hazel laughed, making Leo's heart jump a little.

"S'okay, Nico. Just try to be a little less confrontational, okay?"

"Yeah!" Jason chipped in. Leo flinched as he saw Nico's face. "We don't judge."

Leo thought Nico's glare might kill Jason then and there. For a moment, he wondered what could have happened when the two of them went to fetch the scepter. Maybe Jason knew a bit more about Nico than Nico wanted him to know. Even Hazel looked caught of guard, like she couldn't read what was on her brother's mind.

"Judge?" she asked. "Judge what? Who said anything about judging?"

"Nothing," Nico snapped. "I don't know what Grace is talking about."

At the worst moment, Leo laughed. But hey—it was funny when Jason got called Grace! It was probably the worst (and best) possible use of his last name!

"Nico…" Hazel reached out for her brother's arm. The look he gave her made Leo want to run and hide. Nico's black eyes smoldered in his pale face. His mouth twisted and cold radiated from him. Leo shivered as the son of Hades reached for his sword, but his hand grasped at nothing. He'd left it back at his cabin.

Piper sighed. "So… who's excited?"

A few tentative hands went up. Percy scrunched up his eyebrows.

"Do I have to sing?" He turned to Annabeth. "You know I don't want to sing. Do I have to sing?"

As Annabeth floundered for words, Nico said softly, his voice like the sound of crickets at night, "Yes."

"W-what?" Percy's voice cracked and he covered his mouth, laughing. Nico's face remained still and serious.

"Rain," was all he said before turning in the direction of the amphitheater.

Hazel sprang into action. "We'd better get going too. And… make sure my brother isn't threatening anyone. Gods, Jason, what _happened_?"

"I think that's what we'd _all_ like to know," Leo agreed. "What the Hades could have made him so—well he's always like that, but still… What made him so upset?"

Jason shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I don't think it's for me to say," he sighed. "Sorry, guys, I just can't. You know, there are certain things you just can't tell, and this is one of them."

"He really didn't want a part," Hazel said. Everyone looked at her. "He kept saying to me, 'Hazel, if I get any role in this, I'm going to be miserable.' And then, Jason, he kept muttering about you. He said, 'If that son of Jupiter even _breathes_ a word to anyone, I'll kill him myself.' What do you know?"

Fortunately, Leo thought, by the time there would be any chance of an answer, they were already in the amphitheater. There was a piano set up and some Apollo kids were sharing notes and pencils. Finally, a girl with blonde hair and bluish eyes bounced up to the group of "actors."

"Hey, I'm Phoebe!" she said. "I'm your choreographer and assistant director for this show! How're you all feeling?" A mumbled complaint. She didn't even blink. "Okay, great! So, let's get you all scripts and you can start looking over your part. Questions?"

Percy raised his hand. "If Nico sings, will he kill us all?"

Before she could answer, Nico cut in. "Yes."

"Great. Will Nico be singing?"

"Yes."

"Let's get started on those funeral pyres, guys!"

Phoebe shrugged like nothing had even happened and looked right at Leo. For a second, he thought his face was on fire. Then he realized it just _felt_ like it was. Phoebe wasn't even looking at him anymore when he realized he was only embarrassed because he didn't want to _be_ there! His legs itched to run away. Gods, was there noting he could do to get away from there?

Nope. He was stuck. Phoebe passed out scripts and the reluctant ensemble gathered in front of the piano. Hazel and Nico stood next to each other. As they started learning the first song, Leo saw Nico lean down and whisper something in Hazel's ear. Her eye widened and she stopped singing. Then, just when Leo was sure she was going to pass out, she wrapped her arms around her brother and squeezed him tightly. Leo thought di Angelo might cry then and there. But he didn't. He even managed to get out his lines.

"Gods," Leo whispered, leaning toward Jason. "What did he say? Looks like he's about to collapse, yeah?"

Jason didn't respond. Finally, Leo submitted himself to actually learning the song. He was both scared and pleased to learn that he even had a line in the opening number! Some of the lyrics were,

_We dance to the Earth  
We dance to the water  
The gods awake and we take no chance  
Our hearts hear the song  
Our feet move along  
And to the music of the gods we dance!_

_Yep,_ Leo thought. _This is actually going to be kind of fun_.

**A/N: To anyone who was confused by the song lyrics. In this fanfiction, the demigods are putting on the play "Once on This Island." It's a really awesome show, and it's a really popular school play. So the lyrics in ****_italics_**** are just little samples of what the lyrics in the show are. Also, as the characters get into the more in depth rehearsals, you'll be seeing a bit more of those. **

**Sorry it's starting off slowly. I promise I'll pick up the pace. I just had to get out some exposition and such. **

**Any ideas? Let's hear them!**

**Thanks,**

**Peeta Melark.**


	3. Leo 3

The second rehearsal was the one that really started off the play. Phoebe, who had taken over as director, started getting some of the smaller scenes up on their feet. The first one was "Forever Yours," where Leo had to fight to keep from hyperventilating. Hazel was so near to him, caressing his face, singing a soft lullaby and promising to be his. Even though she was Frank's girlfriend, and Leo knew it couldn't ever work, he still couldn't help feeling like she was meant to be his… like she'd already been his girlfriend in another life. But that wasn't him, was it?

_Sure as this night leads to a sky of blue  
Sure as my heart lead me to be with you  
Surely the gods meant this to be a sign  
That my life is forever yours  
And you are mine…_

At that point, there was a shift. Nico's voice whispered softly from behind them. Then he leapt from the shadows, bringing them with him. He danced madly around Hazel, pulling her away from Leo, throwing her aside. She fought him, crying. Still, Nico pressed on, consumed by his fury. Finally, Leo felt a weight on his chest and he knew Nico di Angelo was leaning over him. A hand raked across his heart, as if it were tearing his soul out. Leo felt cold.

"Take mine for his!" Hazel cried. The hand pulled away.

"What?"

"Take my life… _My soul for his_."

A laugh rippled through the silent air. Icy fingers twisted Leo's spinal chord. Phoebe cried,

"Stop!" She looked ecstatic. "That was _great_! I've got one correction, though. Hazel, you haven't slept in days. Your judgment is _seriously_ impaired. Just think about that, okay?"

Leo noticed that her hair was different. She'd dyed it dark reddish-brown and it hung in curls around her shoulders. He wondered where she'd gotten the dye from. He raised his hand.

"Uhhh… could you tell Nico not to sit on me next time?"

Nico yelped indignantly. Phoebe laughed.

"Sorry! I told him to lean over you like that. Do you want me to—"

Leo blushed. "Nah. It's cool." He sidled up to Hazel. "So… what's up with di Angelo?"

"You mean Nico?" Hazel corrected. Her eyes deepened, lost in thought. "Nothing. He's okay."

"Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm—"

"No more chit-chat, guys!" Phoebe chimed. "Back to work!" She whispered something to Nico and he nodded.

Leo lay down again, stretching his legs out in front of them. His head rolled to the side, his eyes closing. Hazel knelt down next to him, holding a cloth to his forehead. She brushed her hand across his cheek, singing gently.

_Deep in your eyes I saw the gods design  
Now my life is forever yours  
And you are mine_

Again, when Nico jumped out from the shadows, Leo wanted to scream. It was like di Angelo was _intentionally_ breaking his moment with Hazel. As the son of Hades leaned in to "take his soul," he felt cold lips just inches from his own. Hazel's voice rang through the shadows.

"Take mine for his!" Leo heard her run forward. Her warm hand grasped his.

"What?" If he could have seen him, Leo was sure Nico would be smiling.

The song finished. Hazel collapsed next to Leo, throwing her arms over him. Phoebe clapped.

"Oh my gods!" she shrieked. "Nico, that was beautiful! You really looked like you were going to give him the kiss of death. And remember—if Hazel doesn't get there in time, you will."

Nico swallowed and nodded. "Sure." He didn't look too pleased with the idea. Out of the corner of his eye, Leo saw Jason cast Nico a worried look. Nico glared daggers in return. Jason half raised his hand. Again, Leo wondered what Jason knew.

"Who wants to try the reprise?" Phoebe asked. Without waiting for a reply, she banished them to places. In the mirror in front of him, Leo saw Hazel lying dejectedly on the floor, weeping.

_Oh gods,_ she cried. _Oh gods. Are you there? Are you there…?_

From a cloud of shadows, Nico di Angelo sprang forward. He grabbed Hazel by the wrist and pulled her roughly to her feet. She screamed. Leo wanted to protect her. Nico's high, cold voice was like thousands of tiny knives pricking his skin. Now, it wasn't a bad voice at all! In fact, it was one of the most beautiful voices Leo had ever heard. That didn't make it any less creepy. It even made it _worse_.

_I am the road leading to no return  
Secret of life finally his to learn_

Hazel approached him, the knife raised. Her eyes glistened. Her cheeks were wet. The hand that gripped the dagger was trembling, from fear or maybe cold, Leo couldn't really tell.

_I am the car racing towards distant shores  
Now his life is forever mine  
Forever!_

Just as the knife was about to come down between Leo's shoulders, Hazel dropped it, falling to the ground. "I can't!" she cried. Leo turned.

"Why?" The word rang coldly.

"I… I love you…" Hazel lowered her eyes. Suddenly, Leo remembered that it was a play. They were in a play. None of it was real. Nico hadn't just convinced Hazel to murder him with the knife lying at his feet. Hazel wasn't really doomed to die. Leo extended his hand to her, helping her to her feet as Phoebe applauded. Their eyes met for a moment before Hazel looked away, her cheeks red.

"I-I-I'm sorry!" she whispered, running to hug Frank. Leo watched somewhat jealously as Frank wrapped his arms around Hazel and kissed the top of her head tenderly. Gosh, he needed to get himself a life!

"Nah, it's cool," he said. But she was already gone. "Smooth, Valdez," he muttered. "Real smooth."

A cold hand touched his shoulder. Leo turned to see Nico di Angelo standing next to him, smiling sadly.

"I understand how you feel," he said, glancing at Percy and Annabeth. Leo shivered. Piper had told him that Nico had a crush on Annabeth, but Leo hadn't known it was _that_ serious. He turned to Nico.

"You do?"

The son of Hades nodded, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation at hand. Leo couldn't blame him. Ever since they'd defeated Gaea, Nico had been even more withdrawn than usual. Heck, he'd even been _malicious_ at points. Now more than ever, Nico was in one of those moods. Leo wanted to crack a joke and get some laughter going like he always did, but he thought that wouldn't be the best idea. Instead, he watched di Angelo. What had happened to him that he'd become so withdrawn, so angry?

"Hey, Nico!" Jason called. Leo and Nico both turned to see Jason and Piper waving him over. Nico turned; made an apology Leo didn't hear and hurried across the room. Leo saw Piper's mouth moving quickly, like she couldn't get enough words out at once. As she spoke, Nico's face got paler and paler. He kept shaking his head, denying whatever Piper was saying and asking. Finally, Leo heard him say.

"I-I have to go."

"Nico, wait!" Piper called. But it was too late. The son of Hades had run from the amphitheater, his sister following close behind him. Piper looked crushed. Leo made the worst decision of his life.

"What?" he asked. "Did you ask him to smile?"

The joke fell flat. Leo kicked himself internally, praying that Apollo would surgically remove the foot that lived in his mouth.

"You know what, guys?" Leo shuffled towards the door. "I'm going to go now…"

When he reached the door—or rather the arch above the stairs—he ran. Without even thinking, his feet carried him to his cabin and down into Bunker 9. Laughing hysterically, he plunged himself into work, wishing that his life were one big, fixable machine.

_What am I doing wrong?_ He thought. _What, pray tell, am I doing wrong?_

**A/N: Thank you for the outstanding reviews! I honestly wasn't expecting any, and I'm really happy to see that people like this story!**

**A couple of notes:**

**It ****_is_**** post HoH, but also post ****_Blood of Olympus_**** (which I can't believe we have to wait a ****_year_**** for), so I'm in the dark about a lot too. I'm going to do my very best not to put in any major spoilers (or any at all), and I'm going to make up what I think happens/happened in the final battle with Gaea. So the characterization might be a bit darker for both Leo and Nico. Also, most of my stories contain doom and gloom, so I'm still working on making regular jokes! J**

**Thanks!**

**Peeta Malark**


	4. Piper 1

Piper woke up with a splitting headache. She felt like her brain was crammed with too many thoughts, like it might explode and splatter her cabin walls with blood and bits of gray matter. Yeah, it wasn't a pleasant thought. She considered getting up, maybe getting some food, or asking Chiron for some painkillers. But for some reason she didn't feel like getting out of bed. Her whole body ached, probably from all the dancing she'd been doing, and her throat was killing her too. Her nose was all runny and she couldn't breathe through it. She wondered humorlessly if Nico di Angelo had cursed her, but pushed the thought aside in favor of the common cold.

"Ugh," she groaned. Someone had turned the light on. It was Lacey, who was leaning over her with a worried look on her face.

"You okay?" asked the girl cheerily. Her face was all scrunched up, like it was taking an awful lot of energy to think. Piper nodded, trying to sit up. Her body felt like lead. Hmm… Maybe Nico _did_ curse her after all.

"I'm fine," she croaked. "Just feeling a bit…"

"Coldy?" Lacey guessed. Piper nodded.

"Yeah. Very coldy."

"Cool! Do you want a cup of tea or something? I can get your boyfriend!"

Piper shook her head, trying to process everything all at once. "Tea would be great," she decided. "Oh, and Jason too. Just clear it with Mr. D, okay?"

Lacey nodded. "S'cool!" she chirped. "Guys are allowed in here, remember? I'll just say it's for a love counseling meeting with me!"

"Love counseling?" Piper asked. "We have that?"

Lacey giggled, but didn't reply. She skipped out and returned seven minutes later, tea and Jason in tow. Piper took the tea and gestured for Jason to sit on the end of her bed. As she sipped the hot, sweet liquid, she waited patiently for him to speak. Finally, he sighed heavily, rubbing his palm across his face.

"I don't know what to say, Piper," he admitted. "I'm trying so hard to be nice to him and he's pushing me away."

Piper considered this. "Him? You mean Nico?" Jason nodded. "Well maybe you've got to give him space. I know what being in love feels like." She took his hand and squeezed it. "And I know how painful it can be to think the person you love doesn't love you back. Call it Aphrodite intuition."

Dry laughter erupted in the back of Jason's throat. He traced his thumb along the back of her hand. "Yeah, but does he _want_ me to hate him?"

"No." Piper wasn't sure. "He's just in a lot of pain right now. Wow, he must hate having to watch her be happy with Percy, knowing she'll never—"

Jason coughed, causing Piper to look up from her cup of tea. Realizing he'd interrupted her, his face grew florid and he gestured for her to continue.

"Never love him."

Piper could tell Jason wasn't telling her something. She could tell that she'd gotten something wrong. She could also tell that he wasn't going to tell her anything. Suddenly, the tea was the most interesting thing Piper had ever seen. Lacey had put _just_ the right amount of honey in and it was _just_ the right temperature. It was perfect. Not to mention it was her favorite kind!

Jason shook her out of her reverie. "Piper, you're spacing," he said. She shook her head.

"Am I?"

"Yep."

"Oh."

They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's presence. Piper thought about how selfish she was. There she was, sitting with the love of her life, having the nerve to try to imagine what Nico di Angelo was feeling. And all that time, Jason was keeping secrets from her! Gods, she wished she could read his mind just _once_ to know what was going on in there.

"What happened?" Piper asked. Jason gazed at her solemly.

"Hmmm?"

"When you went to get the scepter."

"Nothing," Jason said. "It's classified."

"Oh."

Silence. Pure, awkward silence. Piper wondered if an angel was passing over. That's what she'd heard. Whenever there was an awkward silence, it meant an angel was passing over. But this didn't feel like angelic silence. It felt like the forever kind of silence. It was the silence that made Piper want to scream… except screaming would break the silence. Why had she even opened her big mouth?

"You enjoying the play?" Jason asked. Piper nodded, happy for a change in the subject.

"Yeah," she admitted ruefully. "It's great. I've got this great solo song they've just started teaching me! And—and I get to do dancing and stuff, so it's pretty cool."

Jason chuckled thoughtfully. "I know, Pipes, I'm there."

"Oh." She looked down at her tea again and took a sip. "Gah!" It was cold. Jason took the cup from her and placed it on the bedside table. With a giggle, she realized that his head was ducked to avoid hitting the top bunk. Piper smiled.

"Hazel's good." She felt almost ashamed saying it. She'd spent almost an hour complaining about how much she'd wanted the role and now she was acting like it had never happened. "So's Percy. Those effects he does with the water… they're neat."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "Until he wears himself out and we all take a surprise shower."

"That would be bad!" Piper hit his arm playfully. "But it's _not_ going to happen! Don't even joke about it!"

"All right, all right! But if it does, I told you so!"

For a while, they just sat there, holding hands, looking absently into each other's eyes. Piper felt like a girl in an old story, the one who had everything she'd ever wanted and was really selfish about it.

"I hope they'll get on okay without me today," she said. "You should go. Tell them I'm staying in bed, okay?"

As soon as Jason left, she missed him. Her heart felt like it was about to burst, and she could still hear his voice in her ears. Yeah, she really didn't know how Nico was feeling.

**A/N: I don't know if you all can tell, but I'm not really a Piper fan. Still, I do my best. I tried to make her a little less Jason-centric while still having her be smitten with him. Needless to say, I probably won't be writing her point of view again for a while. **

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Suggestions are welcome, as are compliments J and constructive criticism. **


	5. Hazel 1

Hazel wished she could forget about Sammy. Every time she knelt down next to Leo, singing that horribly beautiful song, she felt like she was singing to her old boyfriend. Leo's peaceful face reminded her too much of when she and Sammy would lie in the grass, looking up at the sky. His face had always been peaceful, like Leo's, with just a hint of laughter behind the eyelids. Somehow, Hazel felt that she wasn't herself anymore. She was the girl she used to be.

Maybe Nico's confession had rattled her, or maybe something about the music brought back memories, but she wanted to forget it all. Not Nico's confession—she was proud of him, glad that he trusted her enough to tell her that he was… No. She couldn't say it. Not yet. Not until Nico said it himself. Not until he told the others what Cupid had forced him to admit.

_We'll race away in a car  
As silver as the moon  
And the storm will turn to sun  
On an island where the Earth and Sea are one_

The lyrics haunted her, slipping in and out of her dreams. It was terrible. Piper's voice flitted through her mind, singing her own solos, filling Hazel's heart with love. Hazel wanted to forget love… forget she had ever felt it. Even if that meant giving up everything, even Frank. If she could only forget the pain for an hour, she would feel better. With the pain gone, she would be able to find the cure. She wouldn't feel so horrible anymore.

Nico's voice shook her awake from her daydreams. "You okay, Hazel?" he asked, genuinely worried. Hazel smiled. To her, Nico was so kind, so warm and alive. To the others, he was creepy, she thought, dismal and half-dead. How funny that they should see such different sides of the same person.

"Yeah," she said. "I just wish the pain would stop."

"Pain?" Nico furrowed his brow. "Is it something to do with the play?"

Hazel nodded. "I… I think so. It's just these lyrics. They remind me of so much." She stopped, breathing shakily. "Are _you_ okay? How are you doing?"

"It's hard," Nico admitted. "Sometimes I don't know if I'm even myself anymore. But I'm coping. I'm going to be fine. I just…" His eyes clouded over. Hazel touched his arm lightly.

"This was supposed to be a happy story," Hazel mused. "We're doing a play—a really fun one—and we're supposed to be jovial… making jokes… laughing at our mistakes. But it's all so grave. I don't know what happened, but I think someone up there…" she glanced at the sky. "… is hurting."

Nico frowned. "I don't… I don't follow…"

Hazel didn't expect him to. "A happy story," she explained. "Life is just a collection of short stories, and this was supposed to be a happy one. We've suffered so much and reaped so small a reward—"

"We saved the world," Nico argued.

"Let me finish. Since then, we've been grasping at straws. You've seen Leo. He's hardly the guy Piper and Jason keep talking about. He's changed. You're changed, Nico. _I'm_ changed, and Frank too. Percy and Annabeth—well they've been through so much, how can they _not_ be changed?"

Hazel knew her brother understood. His eyes opened wide and he leaned back in his seat, inhaling sharply. "Oh," he whispered. Hazel gave him an unhappy smile, which he returned.

"You see?" She knew he did. "This was supposed to be the happy one. The one that lasts only a few pages, but it keeps you going for the rest of the book."

Hazel felt a warm, heavy hand on her shoulder. She turned and a kiss was planted on her lips. Frank. As usual, he smelled faintly of cinnamon. Nico all but forgotten, Hazel leaned against her boyfriend's chest, sighing contentedly. Her brother coughed.

"I'm going to go… now…" he said. "See you two later."

Before Hazel could call him back, Nico was gone. Oh well. She stood up and faced Frank. His eyes were shining, full of laughter and light. _This_, she decided, was where the story started to get happy. She would be happy, Nico would be happy, Annabeth and Percy would be happy, Frank would be happy, Leo would be happy and everyone else in the camp would be happy. They would be happy or she'd _make_ them be happy.

As she thought this, a strange calm seemed to settle over the camp. Phoebe slowed in her directions and everyone looked up at the sky. Maybe it was her imagination, but Hazel thought the clouds were smiling.

**A/N:**

**As of this chapter, this story will be taking a happy note. **

**To my readers who have read "House of Hades:" Any suggestions? **

**Please tell me how I may improve my stories. **

**Thanks  
Peeta Melark **


	6. Leo 6

The next day, Leo felt better. He didn't know what had happened, but it was like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He got up easily, without the usual strain of his eyes against the sunlight. Bunker 9 seemed just that little bit cozier. He couldn't wait to build something—maybe a new sword for Hazel or a shield to go with Piper's dagger. That might be cool.

Leo didn't get as much done as he'd wanted to. He'd just gotten his bench set up and all of his tools laid out when someone appeared next to him. Now when Leo said _appeared_, he meant _appeared_. Nico di Angelo popped out of the shadows, looking a little worse for the wear. Leo scrunched up his eyebrows.

"What brings you here?" he asked. "And how did you find me?"

Nico shrugged. "Hazel told me how."

Leo would have to speak with Hazel about that later. He gestured for Nico to sit. The son of Hades bowed his head thankfully but didn't take the offer. He stood awkwardly, his hand shoved in his pocket. He sighed uncomfortably.

"It's Hazel's birthday tomorrow. And I-I wanted to do something nice for her."

_Oh gods,_ Leo thought. _Zombie Guy_ _has a heart? What next?_ He grinned crookedly at Nico.

"Well…" He thought for a second. "You should throw her a party."

"A-a party?" Nico asked. He looked totally lost. His dark brown eyes were wide, almost child-like and wistful. Leo swung around in his chair, again offering a seat to Nico. This time, he took it. "How do I throw a party?"

"Leave it to me," Leo said. Seeing Nico's sad gaze, he amended. "We'll work together, all right?"

Eagerly, Nico nodded. Leo thought he looked very much like a little kid—maybe the one who used to chatter on about Mythomagic. Sure, Leo could learn to like this guy.

As they started for the amphitheater, Hazel caught up with them. She stopped them in their path and informed them that Phoebe had left for her mother's house for a couple of days, halting the rehearsals. It was convenient, Leo thought; a bit _too_ convenient. But that meant they had lots of time to plan. He didn't want to brush her off, but he didn't want her to hear. Just as Leo was about to say something, Nico took her hand.

"I think Piper is making some cookies. Why don't you go join her?"

Hazel seemed put off but she didn't argue. Before leaving, she whispered something in Nico's ear and patted his shoulder. Leo found himself wishing that he had a sibling like Hazel.

"How'd you do that?" he asked, watching Hazel's disappearing form. She sure was pretty. In her pretty white dress, she looked like a goddess. Wow. Frank was a lucky guy.

Nico brushed at his clothes as if he could brush off Leo's inquiries. "Piper _is_ baking cookies. Last I saw her, she was balancing several trays on the top of her head. I thought she could use some help."

Maybe it was just Leo, but he'd never heard Nico talk so much or so easily. As long as he'd known him, di Angelo had always been gloomy and closed off. Maybe it was something Hazel had said or done, but Leo liked this new di Angelo a lot more. Was this the Nico Percy knew? Annabeth? Hazel? Somehow, he got the feeling this was the Nico from the Titan War: the twelve year-old boy who had both betrayed and saved Percy.

"We should get going," Nico said. Leo nodded, starting off towards where Percy and Annabeth were sparring. Nico seemed hesitant to go forward, but he clenched his fists and strode toward the arena. Percy and Annabeth looked up, grinning like lunatics.

"Hey!" Percy called. Annabeth waved.

"What's going on?"

Nico looked at his feet, his cheeks flooded with color. "It's Hazel's birthday tomorrow." He looked exposed in the sunlight, his skin almost too pale in the warm rays. He appeared almost _ghostly_. Then again, he _was_ the Ghost King.

Percy ran a hand through his hair. "Happy birthday, Hazel!" he applauded. Nico smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah… I'm throwing her a party." The words sounded so alien coming from his pale lips. Leo shuddered. Creepy.

"Wow, Nico!" Annabeth sounded truly amazed. She reached out to touch his shoulder, but he shied away. Leo noticed that he didn't blush. He looked angry. Still, Leo had to applaud his composure. His eyes held the only traces of his bitterness. Nico's face had taken on a look of respect and friendship.

"Thank you," he said. Glancing back at Leo, he added, "Leo's helping me."

It was Leo's turn to blush and look down. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Nah. It's nothing."

They said their goodbyes, heading towards the Aphrodite cabin. They made arrangements for Piper to dress Hazel in a pretty yellow dress—good luck or something like that. They weren't supposed to tell her why, just that they thought it might be fun. Then they were supposed to bring her down to the amphitheater, where all their friends would be gathered with presents and cake. They would have Hazel's favorite foods and there would be decorations everywhere. Leo designed a special banner to say "Happy Brithday, Hazel!" in big, sparkly letters. The sparkles were Leo's idea, but Nico didn't protest.

"She'll like them," he assured Leo. Leo felt a cold hand on his elbow. He fought back chills.

"Thanks, dude." Gods, he wished di Angelo would give him some warning of his next move. One second, he might be giving Leo a hug; the next he'd be holding a sword to his throat. "Thanks a lot."

Nico smiled creepily, which Leo realized he was starting to get used to. The son of Hades' pale face stretched unnaturally, his eyes gleaming. He looked like a grinning skull, one of those skulls that Leo saw at Day of the Dead celebrations. His mother had had one in her workshop. It was painted all greenish-white with black patterns webbing its face. Its mouth was red as blood, open and laughing with wickedly sharp, white teeth. Nico di Angelo looked freakishly like that skull.

"Don't do that," Leo muttered. "It's freaky."

For a second, Nico looked like he was about to apologize. Leo almost wished he had.

"Forget it," he said. "Let's get to work."

They did. Eventually, the tension lifted. Leo started cracking jokes. Nico laughed at them. Sometimes, Leo would glance at Nico and he would see him smiling for real. It wasn't that spooky, sad smile; it was a contented, happy smile. Leo liked it. He thought that maybe he had underestimated Nico. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all, even if he _had_ betrayed Percy once or twice and even if he _was_ acting kind of weird. Though he hated admitting it, Leo was starting to enjoy Nico di Angelo's company.

"Let's get this party started," Leo said, tossing Nico a hammer and a box of nails. Nico caught them. "We've got a party to build!"

**A/N: I'm trying to make this story happy—for now at lease. Please feel free to leave suggestions and comments. **

**I won't beg for reviews, because I find that so annoying sometimes, but I would LOVE to hear your opinions!**

**Should Nico and Leo be friends?**


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